Ground operations at Newark Airport came to a standstill after a JetBlue flight was forced to make an emergency return shortly after take-off. The incident unfolded just minutes after departure, when the crew reported smoke inside the cabin.
The dramatic alert, 'smoke in the back,' prompted the FAA to ground all flights while safety teams inspected the aircraft. Officials are investigating the technical failure to determine how the fumes entered the passenger area.
Departing for West Palm Beach just past 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday,JetBlueflight 543 was forced to pivot back to Newark Liberty International Airport. According to Port Authority and airline officials, the Airbus A320 suffered a mechanical failure that sent fumes into the seating area, ending the trip only 17 minutes after it began.
'We're just going to exit the runway and have fire/rescue make sure the engine, number one engine, is OK,' a pilot informed air traffic control in a recording secured by the siteLiveATC.net. Moments after touching down, the pilot called for an immediate evacuation as fumes filled the aircraft.
⚠️ Travel Advisory ⚠️Flight operations at Newark Liberty are temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an earlier incident.Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline for up-to-date travel information.pic.twitter.com/x4V12jp51u
'We got smoke in the back. We are going to have to be evacuating here in a second,' the pilot said. 'He's going to pull the chutes,' an emergency responder outside the plane warned the tower, referencing the deployment of the emergency exit slides. Attention all aircraft,Newark Airportis closed,' air traffic controller announced.
Video shared with Kol Haolam by a passenger on the JetBlue flight that made an emergency return to Newark Airport. Passengers amd crew evacuated via slides.pic.twitter.com/9gv3LgUd0B
Emergency responders reported that everyone remained safe, though the FAA froze all incoming traffic until roughly 7 p.m. ET. 'Safety is JetBlue's top priority. We are focused on supporting our customers and crew members and will work closely with the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what occurred,' the airline toldUSA Today. The FAA has launched a formal probe into the event.
A USA Today report indicated that a mechanical failure in the engine triggered the fumes. JetBlue issued vouchers to passengers for the 'hiccup.' Newark Airport confirmed via X that flights had resumed.
Flights at Newark Liberty have resumed.
Source: International Business Times UK
